Instant messaging applications are well-known software applications used to allow multiple users to have online conversations. Each user will have an application window running on their desktop, which maintains the current conversation. When any user types in new text in the application window and hits send (or presses return), this new text is added to the current conversation, and can be seen by all users including the person who has sent the new text. Instant messaging conversations can be between just two people or several people at the same time. The same user can hold more than one conversation at the same time with different people, as separate application windows on their desktop.
Conventional instant messaging (IM) software applications allow users to conduct real-time conversations, but there are situations when it is not convenient for both parties to carry out the conversation to completion. Current applications do not possess the option to continue an IM meeting at a later date with this person. Instant messaging conversations are often stochastic and few users realize that when within such a conversation there is an implied contract, and more often than not it is important for this contract to be successful. Oftentimes when this agreement is not successful on the first instance, it is never again resumed, leaving a breakdown in communication.
The inability to motivate the continuity of an instant messaging session is a significant shortfall in the existing art. Although existing products all have the ability to create instant conversations, there does not exist anything in the area of continuity of instant messaging conversations or of creating meetings on the fly in known systems such as AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, IBM's Lotus Workplace IM, or ICQ. (IBM, Lotus and Workplace are trademarks of International Business Machines in the United States, other countries or both. MSN Messenger is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries or both. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.)
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.